


Vows of a Hunter

by SexulPenut



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Anal Sex, Deviates From Canon, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Oral Sex, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:01:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SexulPenut/pseuds/SexulPenut
Summary: Ritsuka fell for Atalante since the first time he saw her in Orleans. He dreamt of her ever since, and was happy when she joined Chaldea. He finally mustered his courage to ask her on a date with a week before the final battle. When he learns of the vow she has made, he convinces her he can find another solution.Note: The epilogue has no sex. I am always looking for feedback to improve my work.
Relationships: Atalanta | Archer of Red/Fujimaru Ritsuka
Kudos: 8





	1. A Way Around the Vow

Ritsuka found himself smitten with Atalante since the first time they met in France. The skills she displayed were frightening, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her graceful form. She found her way into his dreams, and for a while, his nights were consumed by her. In what seemed like a twist of fate, she allied with Chaldea. It took Ritsuka a while to get used to her real self, and a while longer to get her to talk to him. After a lot of persistence and the promise of an apple pie, he managed to convince her to go on a date with him while they still had some free time.

He found himself standing in front of his mirror as the sun went down, fiddling with his uniform to make sure he looked presentable. Butterflies danced in his stomach as he fiddled with his hair to get it just right, but he knew he was just delaying the inevitable. How was he supposed to be confident when Atalante was so...unapproachable. As much as he hates to admit it, that does add to her allure.

He found her already waiting at the cafeteria already digging into a steak. She barely looks up as he sits and pokes around at the near identical steak sitting in front of him.

“Already ordered?” Ritsuka asked a little disappointed they didn’t have time to talk before the meal.

“I was hungry, and thou were taking too long.” She gives him a disappointed look. “I thought thou said nine.”

“Well, it’s customary-” Atalante interrupts him with a snort.

“What use is custom for a meal.” She shakes her head. “I have no need for such a thing.”

“They tend to make the meal...better.” He almost said romantic but decided against it. “It can be nice to talk before the meal and wait for it together.”

“Did thou just bring me here to talk?” She actually stopped eating for a second. “Then why did thou not just ask for that?”

“Because…” He trailed off. This is not how he was hoping for the night to go. At this point, he didn’t have much to lose. “I like you, and I wanted to spend some time together.” He flinched a little as Atalante frowned at him.

“Just like a man to lead me here on false pretenses.” Her words cut like a knife straight to his heart.

“That’s not... I mean…” Ritsuka paused. “Normally when you like someone, you ask them out on a date where you have dinner,” He gestures at the meal. “Or you go somewhere to spend time together. I wasn’t trying to mislead you.”

She sighed and put down her fork. “Having dinner to express your feelings is ridiculous. If thou wants a date,” She blushed a little, and it was the first time Ritsuka had seen her let her guard down. “Then perhaps thou should try something actually romantic.”

“I have heard the park is quite nice this time of night.” He offered, and she nodded.

“After the meal then.” The moment of weaknesses seemed to have disappeared, and she was back to her colder self.

They finished the rest of the meal in silence, but it didn’t bother Ritsuka much. He finally had the chance to have a romantic stroll with the woman of his dreams. After that, he could die happy. After the meal, they order a few slices of apple pie to go, and head to the park.

The moonlight gave the entire park a beautiful, otherworldly glow, and Atalante couldn’t keep a smile off of her face. The silence continued as they walked through the park, enjoying the plants and cool breeze, but the sight of Atalante’s happiness made up for all of it. 

“It’s almost as beautiful out here as you.” Ritsuka almost couldn’t believe he said that and started mentally kicking himself, but he couldn’t miss the blush on her cheeks.

“Nothing is quite as beautiful as nature in all her glory.” She mused. “It is raw and powerful, yet serene and gentle.” She glanced away from him in embarrassment. “It is something thou would know if thou had spent as much time there as me.”

“I guess when you spend that much time somewhere, you start to take after it.” He said as he plucked a flower from a bush. “A bush covered in thorns that would mangle your hand, yet it has the most beautiful and delicate flowers.”

“Is thou calling me prickly?” She asked with a giggle that made Ritsuka’s heart soar.

“I would say strong and independent.” He replied with his own chuckle. “But it did take me a lot of courage to ask you out here.”

“Why would that be?” She asked, genuinely curious.

“Well,” He paused, worried about saying the wrong thing. “I was just scared.” The look on her face made him realize that wasn’t enough. “I’ve been-” But could he really say he had been dreaming of her since they first met? “Worried you might not care for me. As your master, I mean.” He quickly amended.

“Perhaps thou just has to prove thyself.” They arrived at a tree in the middle of the park with ripe apples hanging from the branches. She pulled out her bow. “Nothing better to go with apple pie than a fresh apple.” She motioned for him to climb. “If thou can climb the tree and get one while I fire at though, then you will have my respect.” Her smile unnerved Ritsuka.

“Are you-” An arrow flew past his face close enough to draw blood before embedding itself in the tree. Not needing another hint, he started clamoring up the tree. Arrow after arrow narrowly missed him, and Ritsuka started to realize she was just playing with him. Somehow, he managed to make it to a branch and pluck an apple without more than a few scratches, and she let one final arrow loose into the branch above.He scrambled back down the tree and gave the apple to Atalante. 

“Good job.” The respect in her voice made him glow inside. She started coring the apple with a knife as she sat at the base of the tree, and Ritsuka pulled out the pie

The fresh apple complimented the pie perfectly, and Atalante had a broad smile the whole time she ate it. She took her time eating it, really savoring each bite, and RItsuka couldn’t help but smile a little as he watched her eat. She looked cute when she was happy.

“Maybe you should learn some archery.” She said after she finished licking off the last traces from her finger.

“There’s always time for me to, once all this is over.” He smiled. “At least, if you can show me.”

“What is thou proposing?” She turned to Ritsuka with a curious look.

“I think it would be nice to spend more time together.” He was crushed when she shook her head.

“I do not wish to take a man again.” She said with a surprisingly sad look. “Not with my vow.”

“I can be-”

“No.” She shook her head again. “My vow is absolute.”

“There are ways to have sex without breaking your chastity.” He offered. “And if not, I care about you not that.”

She stopped and fell into deep thought. “If you can make me happy,” She paused. “Then perhaps I will consider it.”

With that, Atalante gave Ritsuka a kiss on the cheek, a sad look, and left. Ritsuka stood there for a minute watching her leave like she did in all of his dreams. In that moment, he resolved to make her as happy as possible. Not for himself, but for the tears he saw in her eyes.

* * *

Ritsuka did his best to fulfill Atalante’s wish with the short time they had. He started by taking her on more walks and discussing her past, but she didn’t say much. He tried to introduce her to new foods to mixed results. He showed her games and movies from his time, and she took to them fairly well. Through it all, she started to warm up to him.

The weight of their last free day hung heavy in the air. Thinking about the days ahead made Ritsuka worry about what would happen between him and Atalante. He couldn’t stop thinking of her laugh, her smile, her cute blushing when he managed to actually shock her, and especially not those tears. He realized he couldn’t leave things like this, and he needed to see her one more time. He needed to confess his feelings.

Atalante answered the knock on her door fairly quickly, and looked surprised to find Ritsuka there. For a few moments, they looked at each other in silence.

“What is thou doing here?” She asked.

“I thought we could spend the day together.” He asked, and she shifted her eyes away. “Look,” He started to feel desperate. “We might have only one day left together, and…” He trailed off.

“And?” Her voice was strangely hopeful.

At that moment a switch flipped in Ritsuka’s mind. Whether it was the tone of her voice, seeing her in a casual t-shirt and plain, white panties, or just too many pent up feelings, he couldn’t help himself anymore. He pulled her into a kiss. She stood there shocked for a moment with her lips firm against his, but she couldn’t deny her feelings and returned the kiss. 

Time seemed to stop as they held each other. The thoughts of Atalante’s vow slipped from their minds. Ritsuka’s hands slipped down to ass. One hand grabbed hold of one of the firm globes while the other grabbed onto her tail and stroked it. Atalante gasped into his mouth, and he used that moment to slip his tongue in. The slow kiss turned passionate, and he began kneading at her ass, memorizing the feel as she started to gently moan. Just as the haze of passion started settling over her mind, she remembered her vow.

Atalante pushed Ritsuka away, but a single string of spit still connected them for a moment. The world returned to him, he saw her red face as she gasped for breath, he saw her eyes fall to the floor, and what he did dawned on him.

“I’m sorry.” He started, but couldn’t find the words. He searched deep within his heart to find anything to make this better, but nothing was there. “I’m sorry.” His eyes fell to the floor as well.

“What were those ways to have sex that thou mentioned on our first date.” She whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. Ritsuka lifted his eyes and met hers, and he saw the battle in her eyes. “I don’t want to break my vow, yet-” He interrupted her with another kiss.

“Let me show you.” He whispered back with sudden confidence, and led her inside. He pulled her in front of the bed, and when he saw the scared innocence on her face, he faltered. 

“Please.” Atalante whispered when she saw him falter, and that was all he needed.

Ritsuka lowered her onto the bed and took a moment to soak in the sight. The way her hair fanned out behind her head, the way her ears twitched with excitement, the loving way she looked at him. He took it all in and memorized it.

He ran a hand up her leg, marveling at the squeaks that came from her when he grazed against her crotch, but he continued upwards, pulling up her shirt until he revealed her slight breasts, barely more than a handful, topped small, mocha nubs. She let out a low moan as he traced her nipple with his thumb and gently massaged her breast. As he massaged with one hand, he took hold of the other and started sucking on it. Heat began to radiate from her core and her moans became more fervent as he started getting a little rougher, gently twisting, pulling, and biting. Never before in her life could she imagine feeling so good.

Ritsuka pulled his mouth off her nipple with a smile. “Are you feeling good?” He asked, but immediately saw his answer in her face.

“Y-yes.” She got out between moans.

“Then this will really rock your world.” Ritsuka lowered his hand back to her panties and slipped it in. She shot him with a terrified look, but something in his eyes made her trust him. His palm rubbed against her thick bush while he ran a finger along her folds, feeling how wet she already was. Atalante couldn’t hold back a shiver as his touch sent a spark of electricity up her spine.

“Just don’t-” She moaned, but he cut her off with a kiss.

“I won’t. I promise.” He continued to rub her folds, getting dangerously close to slipping them in, until she was moaning and writhing beneath him. When she started bucking against his hand, he moved his finger up to her clit and gave it a gentle rub. Atalante gasped at the surge of pleasure that ran through her. RItsuka started slow, letting her get used to the sensation, but it didn’t take long for her to turn into a moaning mess again. She bucked her hips against his hand again, so he hurried up his pace. The desire to kiss him hit her like a truck, and she pulled him into a deep, sloppy kiss. To Ritsuka it barely felt like a kiss. It felt more like she needed to do something with her mouth and hide her moans as the pleasure overpowered her.

As if to prove him right, she pulled away as an almost inhuman scream tore from her lips. Her body arched and shivered as wave after wave of pleasure tore through her in the first orgasm of her life. It was the best thing she had ever felt. Ritsuka slowed down his rubbing to help her through the orgasm, and she fell back to the bed moaning and shaking.

“By Artemis.” She panted as he sucked her juices off of his hand. “That was amazing.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He said, bursting with pride, and Atalante noticed the bulge in his pants.

“Does that mean thou are also…” She couldn’t think of the right word.

“Yeah.” Ritsuka answered with a chuckle. He always thought she was cute when she was shy, but shy and glowing from an orgasm was much nicer. 

He unzipped his pants to show her his cock, and she couldn’t help but gasp. It wasn’t like much she had seen before. None of the rowdy animals she had seen had a cock that was the same color as their skin and ended in a mushroom tip. With some effort, she pulled herself to her hands and knees and crawled towards it. It’s warmer than she expected when she wrapped her hand around it, not that she could close her hand around it.

Some strange instinct possessed her, and she tried to slip his cock into her mouth. Ritsuka let out a moan as her warm mouth wrapped around the head, and she let out her own low moan as the strong taste of his cock assaulted her. She tried to take it farther, but she could only make it a few inches down before it became too much. The instinct kicks in once more, and she starts trying to bob her head up and down.

Ritsuka couldn’t hold back a low moan as she bobbed her head on his cock. He tried to hold back the feeling of it not being enough, knowing that she probably couldn’t take it farther, but the thought of her nose pressed against his stomach was too much. With a groan, he grabbed her by her cat ears, eliciting a low, needy groan from her, and started pushing her down his cock. It hit the back of her throat a few inches down, and she started choking as he pushed her down farther. A slap against his chest brought him back to earth, and realising what he just did, he let go of the spluttering woman and let her pull off of his cock.

“What was that!” Atalante yelled, trying to ignore the pleasure it brought.

“I’m sorry, it’s hard to control myself when I have someone as beautiful as you-” She couldn’t stay mad at him and cut him off with a slightly salty kiss.

“Well, we need another way to take care of thou.” She glanced down at his twitching rod while an idea formed in his mind.

“There is one way.” Ritsuka said as he reached around to her ass and slipped a finger into her tight hole. She let out a squeak in surprise, but couldn’t deny how good his finger felt. She just wasn’t sure if she could take all of that meat back there.

“Maybe,” She paused, realizing there probably wasn’t a better way. “Sure.” She relented. 

With a smile, Ritsuka pulled out a small bottle of lube, and shuffled his way behind her. Atalante pushed his hand away from her underwear as something in her wanted to pull it down herself, to reveal herself to him. With a shy slowness, she pulled them down, and he couldn't take his eyes off the way it caught on the globes of her ass for a moment or the way strings of girlcum from her drenched slit stuck to it. He couldn't stop himself from immediately spreading her cheeks to get a look at her unspoiled, pink pucker already twitching a little.

Atalante let out a small yelp when she felt his lips press against it, but it turned to yet another low moan as his hand reached beneath her and gently rubbed against her. Ritsuke worked his tongue around her ring, getting a good taste of his lover and making her nice and wet before he started poking his tongue in to start getting him ready for his fingers.

After a while of rimming the shaking woman, he pulled back with a smile. “You’re going to feel something cold.” She gasped and almost jumped up as he squirted something cold into  
her hole. "Shh." He calmed her. "I'm making sure this will go as easy as it can for you."

“Ok.” She aqueaked, suddenly regretting her decision, but before she could change her mind, he pressed his finger until it slipped in to the knuckle. 

Atalante let out another small gasp and moan as he started moving the finger around to start stretching her hole. She was surprised by the jolt of pleasure it brought, but those thoughts disappeared as his hand returned to her clit and started rubbing her out of her mind again. 

Ritsuka took it slow, working his finger in little by little while pushing and pulling at her walls until it had slipped in past the knuckle. He continued working her until his second finger slipped in. Another groan passed her lips, and she was already having trouble distinguishing the pleasure from her clit and the pleasure from her ass. She wrapped her tail around the arm fingering her ass to keep it going as long as he could, but it didn't take long for him to loosen her up enough for his cock.

Ritsuka coated his cock in a thick layer of lube, pulled her up onto all fours, and moved her hand to her clit while he grabbed one cheek with his left hand and led his cock in with the other. Atalante was assaulted with pain as his cock stretched her asshole even wider, but he stopped when she cried out and gently rocked his hips to let her get used to the size while she furiously rubbed at her clit to get the pleasure back. He slowly pushed in inch after inch, giving her a few moments of rest between each, until she had stopped crying in pain and instead began groaning lewdly. Atalante couldn't understand why she felt so good when it felt like she was being split apart, but she couldn't keep her hands from furiously rubbing out orgasm after orgasm or her hips from bucking back against his to help take it deeper until the sounds of flesh against flesh and animalistic moaning filled the room.

He tried to stop himself with his cock fully inside her, to let her get used to the feeling, but her tail wrapped around his back and began gently pulling against him as if guiding him. He began thrusting at the pace the tail dictated, slowly at first with her ass pulling back greedily against his dick as if it didn't want to let it go, and soon, Atalante felt something animalistic rise up inside of her. Her tail sped up, and Ritsuka started thrusting harder and harder, sending some of the squelching lube flying into the air.

It wasn't long until he was reaming her, and Ritsuka was surprised she could take it. Her pucker spasmed happily against his cock, her front half collapsed to the bed a long time ago, her cheeks were pink from the relentless pounding, her hand lazily rubbed at her clit as the pleasure from the pounding overtook the pleasure from her core. She never knew she could feel this good, like she was wrapped in a blanket of bliss. Ritsuka's hands clenched tight against her ass as he fought back his own orgasm, the tightness of her ass becoming too much for him to take, but it was a quickly lost battle. He tried to pull out, but her tail pulled him back into the base as he filled her with his sticky, white cream. In that instance they were connected as they both rode out their orgasm and howled to the sky.

Ritsuka stated inside of her for a few more minutes, loving the heat and the way her ass seemed to milk him dry. To his dismay, exhaustion quickly overtook him, so he pulled out, taking a moment to watch as her twitching, gaping hole leaked a little cum. 

He laid down next to her and pulled her close, laying his hand across her chest to feel her rapid heartbeat. He did his best to lock away this moment. To lock away the warmth, the way she snuggled into him half consciously, the way her ears and tail twitched with happiness, the pleasure radiating from every fiber of his being. He locked it all away for the days ahead. Ritsuka tried to stay awake for a moment longer, to say something, but sleep hit him like a truck.

“I love you.” He barely caught as he drifted off and gave Atalante a squeeze that he hoped she understood.


	2. Epilogue - The Master's Vow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ritsuka returns for Atalante amidst the destruction of Chaldea.

Ritsuka woke up to a lack of warmth in his arms. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked to find Atalante glaring at him.

"Morning-" He started.

"Get out." She growled, and he flinched. He didn't understand why she was mad at him. Then he remembered what happened last night.

"I thought you enjoyed last night." A lump began to form in his throat.

"Thou took advantage of me." Atalante's voice started to rise. "Thou knew how scared I was about what we were about to face!" Ritsuka rolled out of bed when she brought her fist down where he was just moments before. "Thou just wanted to use me before thee did not have a chance to!" He narrowly dodged an arrow from her bow as he ran to the door. "I thought thou were different!" Her voice cracked just a little. "But men never are, are they?"

Ritsuka stopped at the door and turned around. He saw her eyes glimmering with tears and the raw emotions whirling inside them. He saw her arm shaking as she held the bow aimed at his chest. He didn't know what changed between last night and this morning, but a glimmer of what it could be was forming in his mind.

"I'm sorry." Once again Ritsuka ran into that wall of not knowing what to say, but an incoming transmission solved that issue. "If we make it out, can we talk about it?"

He almost let out a sigh of relief as Atalante lowered the bow. "If thou gets the chance," The sadness in her voice jarred him. "Can thou wish for the children's happiness in my stead."

Ritsuka didn't have a chance to answer before the door closed. 

He stood there for a moment, contemplating opening the door, before the ring of the incoming transmission sent him on his way. He couldn't get his mind off of Atalante in that last moment. Something about the ways her eyes fell and the tone of her voice made her seem vulnerable, and it didn't sit right with him. It was almost as if she knew something he didn't. As Ritsuka walked, a heavy dread fell upon his shoulders, but he couldn't let it slow him down as he marched towards his destiny.

In the bedroom, Atalante sat on the bed and cried. She wished she didn't have to turn him away. She wished she could give the one man that truly made her happy the golden apple that lay by her side. She wished she could spend just a little more time with him. She wished she didn’t have the strongest feeling that she wasn’t going to make it out of the battle alive. Atalante knew that she could be summoned again, but the weight of the feeling remained heavy upon her.

* * *

Ritsuka’s lungs burned from a mix of running and the thick smoke filling Chaldea. He had inhaled quite a bit the last few days amidst all the chaos. And what chaos it had been. The battle against Solomon on Ars Paulina was a mess from the beginning, and it just got worse and worse. The battle drug on for a long time, a lot of people were lost, and just as all was lost, Solomon turned out to be the Demon God Goetia. The only saving grace was the real Solomon using his Noble Phantasm to weaken Goetia, but that backfired as well. It had forced Goetia to escape into the world.

Ritsuka shot a glance at Mash as they ran towards the summoning chambers, remembering just how close he got to losing her. Remembered how he had lost Atalante. How she sacrificed herself to save a child. He couldn’t help but believe it was all his fault. He knew he had a chance to save the child himself, if he had just sacrificed himself, if he wasn’t the key to defeating Goetia. Ritsuka forced the thoughts back. He still had a chance to get Atalante if they hadn’t made it to the summoning chambers yet.

Luckily for him, the attackers seemed to have saved the summoning chambers for last. He rushed inside while Mash guarded the door. He only needed a few minutes, but with how quickly Chaldea had fallen, he wasn’t sure if he had that much time. Ritsuka let out a shaky sigh and took the leap of faith, putting all of his trust into Mash.

He took the broken arrowhead from his pocket, lightly running his finger over the dull edge as had become habit, and laid it in the middle of the spell circle. The reaction was immediate and a light blue glow spread throughout. With a sigh and quick clearing of his throat, Ritsuka closed his eyes and began reciting the summoning verse. The words felt melodic on his tongue, like a deep poem telling the story of Atalante, and he could feel his voice grow louder and surer with each passing second. He could see the blue glow seep through his eyelids as he neared the end, could hear the familiar rising of a servant from the ground, but did not dare open his eyes in case he became too excited. As the final words passed his lips and the light began to die, he opened his eyes to see a confused Atalante before him. He had to fight a smile from marring his grim expression and wanted to pull Atalante into a deep hug, but they didn’t have time to wait.

“I don’t have much time to explain, Atalante,” He took her by the hand and gazed deep into her confused eyes. “Just trust me when I say we have to get out of here fast.”

“What’s going on?” She asked, but didn’t try to fight back as he pulled her along.

“After the battle with Goetia, Chaldea got put under new management.” Ritsuka quickly realized running and talking was a bad idea when he started gasping for air halfway through.

“New management?” Atalante looked around at the smoke filling the air and smelled the fire and blood permeating the building.

“The destruction Goetia caused was blamed on Chaldea.” Mash continued for Ritsuka, and he shot her a thankful glance. “The new management seems to be working for another evil force whose goals appear to include the eradication of Chaldea.”

“What?” Atalante could barely process what had gone on since her sacrifice. She looked to Ritsuka for help, and his steady gaze eased her heart.

“We’re heading for a vehicle called the Shadow Border.” He explained. “Excluding Mash and I, only seven people made it out-”

“And it was already cramped before you decided to bring Atalante along.” Mash glared at him.

“I know, but-” He cut himself off, realizing that saying she can sleep in his quarters would be a very bad move. “I couldn’t leave her behind with Eva with us.”

“Only seven?” Atalante interrupted to bring the two back on track.

“It was a slaughter.” Rituska said as they arrived in the hangar where the large armored vehicle sat.

“It is not very large.” Atalante felt her stomach drop.

“It’s bigger inside.” Ritsuke promised.

To his credit, it was twice as big on the inside, but it was still hardly enough room for ten people. Inside the cockpit, Sherlock, Goldof, and a little girl with short silver hair looked towards the three newcomers.

“Took you long enough.” Goldof huffed. “Get us out of here Da Vinci.”

“Yes, sir.” Da Vinci’s voice echoed through the cockpit, and the vehicle started to rumble.

Everyone’s attention was glued to the ensuing chaos outside as Da Vinci expertly avoided the guards outside. A few rumbles shook the vehicle, but none of the blasts seemed to do much damage. The group let out a collective sigh of relief once the burning of remains of Chaldea were far behind them and their pursuers had given up the chase.

The crew all excused themselves to other parts of the ship and left Ritsuke, Atalante, and the girl all alone. The girl looked up at Atalante with a mix of adoration and love, but it took Atalante a few moments to figure out why. 

“Thou art the girl I saved.” She said, mystified.

“I knew you would remember!” The girl cried and ran over to Atalante to give her legs a surprisingly strong hug. “I thought you died!” The bluntness of her words almost caught Atalante off guard, but the honesty was just one of the many things she loved about children.

For the first time in a long time, Atalante felt true happiness rush through her and felt her face transform into a wide smile. “Of course,” She picked the girl up and drew her into an almost too tight hug. “I promised you would be safe.”

“That’s what he said too.” She pointed to Ritsuke, and he gave a shy grin. “He promised you would be back to see me, and he was right.” The girl beamed and wiggled with happiness. “He said you might even be my mom.”

Ritsuke’s face turned bright red as he spluttered an incomprehensible defense, but Atalante could only laugh and hug the girl even harder as happiness and love flowed through her. “Of course.” She gave the girl a kiss on the cheek. “I’ve always wanted a child.”

Ritsuke couldn’t fight back a smile of his own. The way Atalante talked to the child and the happiness on her face made her look just like a mother. It seemed fitting, like a piece to her that had been missing. Atalante put the child down and told her to go talk to Mash for a bit. She watched the child leave before turning around and walking towards Ritsuke.

He instinctively put his hands up to block a slap to the face, something he very much expected after dropping all of this on Atalante, but was surprised when she drew him into a tight hug.

“Thank you.” He heard her voice catch a little and feltl a few tears on his neck. He put his arms around her as well and squeezed her tight, not wanting to let her go again. “I haven’t felt this happy in forever.” She looked up at him with a teary smile and his heart skipped a beat. Never did he think Atalante would ever give him that look.

“I couldn’t just abandon the child.” He answered with a halfway grin. “I knew you would kill me if I did.”

“Of course.” She giggled, her tail swatting him playfully. Her smile started to fade as some questions came bubbling forth. “Why did you summon me back when all of Chaldea was at stake.” He started to speak, but her glare cut him off. “I know it wasn’t just for the girl.”

With the ruins of his life fading into the distance and the future uncertain, he realized he couldn’t hide the truth anymore. “Because I love you.” He closed his eyes so he wouldn’t falter under her gaze. “I’ve dreamt about you since we met in Orleans. I dreamt about the pain and suffering you had been through and the tears in your eyes. I dreamt that I could be the one that could make you happy.” Ritsuke let out a shuddering breath before continuing. “When we went on that moonlight date, I was the happiest I had been in a long time, but seeing those same tears in your eyes as you left and hearing your plea, I knew I had to make you happy. I loved spending every moment with you. Showing you my world and seeing you having fun was amazing. The only regret I have was taking advantage of you.” He let out one more shaky sigh before opening his eyes. 

The sight of tears streaming down her smiling face surprised him, but not as much as the wet and salty kiss she pulled him into was. He wished the moment could last forever, and so did Atalante. They stood in a loving embrace for what seemed like an eternity. They let their tastes wash over them, let their hands run through their hair, let their warmth become one. For that everlasting moment they almost felt like one.

They finally broke apart with a happy sigh and looked deeply in each other’s eyes. “I am sorry.” Atalante’s words sent dread through RItsuke’s being. “I should not have pushed thou away that morning.” A fresh batch of tears welled in her eyes. “I was scared to hurt thou after thou made me so happy, and I knew I was going to fall. I-” Her voice broke, and her lips trembled as her head fell against Ritsuke’s chest. He slowly rubbed her back as she shook against him. “I-I al-almost threw a-away the only go-good man there is.”

Ritsuke lightly shushed her. “Yet I still came back for you.” Atalante’s sobs slowed. “I loved you too much to abandon you, even if you weren’t going to be with me.”

“Then take this.” He felt a weight put into his hand, and when he checked, he found a golden apple. “It is an apple of immortality. Once it was used to trick me, and I have carried it for one who really needed it.” Atalante pushed the apple upwards towards his mouth. “Take it, and let us be together forever.”

Ritsuke hesitated for a moment. The weight of the decision seemed to drag his arm down, but when he saw the loving look in her eyes, he knew what he had to do. With one large bite, he took a chunk out of the apple. For a moment, nothing happened, but a great warmth quickly rushed through his body. He handed the apple to Atalante once it passed, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Together forever.” He gave her another peck on the lips. “And perhaps together with Eva.”

“I would love that.” Atalante purred and pulled Ritsuke into another loving embrace.

There they stood as they travelled further into the unknown future. No matter the hardships ahead, they knew they would be together through it all.


End file.
